Henry ziegler



(No Model.)

H. Z IEGLER.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

MUSIC RAGK ATTACHMENT FOR UP RIGHT PIANOS.

Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

wlmsssms ATTORNEYS.

N PETERS, Photo-Lawgrlphar, Wnhlngton, D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. ZIEGLBR. 1 MUSIC RAGK ATTACHMENT FOR UPRIGHT PIANOS. No. 408,868. Patented Aug. 13, 1889'.

il" In WM 11m W "I! WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ZIEGLER, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y.

MUSIC-RACK ATTACHMENT FOR UPRIGHT PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,868, dated August 13, 1889. Application filed March 8, 1889. Serial No. 302,529. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ZIEGLER, of the city, county, and State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Rack Attachments to Upright Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved inusierack attachment for upright pianos,which rack can be readily lowered into inclined position over the lid of the piano and returned into its normal position into the front opening of the case; and the invention consists of the case of an upright piano which is provided in its front wall'with an opening which is closed by a rack that is hinged by curved brackets to a vertically-sliding panel that is guided in ways at the upper rear part of the front wall of the case. The hinged rack is further connected with the front wall of the case by a hinged extensible strap which supports it in lowered inclined position. The rack is retained by a suitable locking device in the opening of the case when returned into normal position in the same, and released from said lockin g device by simply lifting the hinged and sliding panels so that the hinged rack clears the locking device, and can then be lowered and set into inclined position over the opened lid of the piano. The sliding panel follows the hinged rack in its downward motion, and serves to fill up the open space above the hinged panel.

In the accompanying drawin gs,Figu re 1 rep resents a perspective view of an upright piano with my improved musicrack attachment shown in lowered position and ready for use. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical transverse sections of the front wallof an uprightpiano case, showing the music-rack respectively in normally closed and in lowered position. Fig. at is a rear elevation of the front wall with the in usic-rack attachment in closed position and partly in section through one of the guideways of the upper sliding panel of the rack; and Figs. 5 and 6 are a detail rear elevationand a vertical transverse section of the strapconnection between the front wall of the piano and the hinged rack, drawn on a larger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

clearly in Figs. & and 6.

Referring to the drawings, A representsthe front wall of an upright-piano case, which wall is provided at its center part with an oblong opening a of suitable size. This opening is closed by a rack 15, whichis hinged by means of curved brackets Z) to the lower part of a sliding panel C, which is guided in grooved ways 0, located at the upper rear part of the front wall A, as shown clearly in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The ways C are provided at their lower ends with stops (Z and at their upper ends with springs d, which press ,on the top edge of the sliding panel C. The lower edge of the hinged rack B is locked by a hook c to an inclined projecting hook e, that is attached to the lower edge of the opening a in the front wall A. The hinged rack B is further connected by an extensible hinged strap F with the lower part of the front wall A of the opening a, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, said hinged strap being formed of two parts ff, of which one is hinged to the rack B, while the other is hinged to the front wall A, and which are connected by headed studs f that are attached to one strap and passed through slots f of the other strap, as shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. A spring 9 is attached to the front wall below the lower edge of the opening a, and arranged so as to press on the lower part of the rack B, as shown The rack B is of somewhat smaller height than the height of the opening a, and provided with an overlapping molding m at its outer edge, that extends over the edges of the opening a. The difference in height between the rack B and the opening a is necessary for the purpose of permitting the lifting of the rack B in the opening a to such an extent that the locking-hook e at the lower part of the panel can clear the hook e at the lower edge of the opening a. This lifting of the rack B also produces the lifting of the sliding panel 0 against the tension of the springs d, which latter press the panel C and rack B in downward direction as soon as the locking-hooks are released from each other. Simultaneously the spring g moves the rack B in a forward direction, so that it clears the lower edge of the opening a and moves with the sliding panel C in a downward direction until the motion of the sliding panel is arrested by the steps (I, and the rack 13 retained in its inclined lowermost position by the hinged strap F, as shown in Fig. 3. The small degree of extension of the hinged strap ii is required for permitting the lifting of the rack 15 in. the opening a preliminary to unlocking or looking the same. 'W'ithout the extensibility of the hinged strap the looking or unlocking operation of the hinged rack 13 could not be accomplished.

For operating my improved music-rack attachment for upright pianos the front racl: 13 is taken hold of at the lower 1n i lding and slightly lifted by upward pressure on the same until the locking device released and the rack 1' moved in a forward direction by the spring g. The hinged. raclc l; and the sliding panel C are then permitted to move in a downward direction until the sliding panel. is arrested by the stops (1. The rack l; assumes, then, an inclined position and ex.- tends over the open lid L, so as to support the music-sheets on the hinged ledge I of the lid in connection with the inclined rack 13, as customary in music-racks for upright-piano cases. When the hinged racl; l; is in its lower position, the open space above the rack at the part of the opening (I. is closed by the sliding panel. 0, which is preferably provided with suitable openings. llfior returning the rack ll into its normally-closed position in the opening of the front wall A the rack is moved in an upward direction, which motion returns the sliding panel (1 into its raised position, so as to lift the springs d. and. permit the locking-hooks to interlock with each other, while simultaneously the spring g at the lower part of the front wall A is pressed baelc. by the rack 13.

My improved musie-rack attachment has the following advantages: First, there are no parts isible from the outside which disclose that the front panel can be opened; secondly, it permits the sounds to pass through the opening in. the front wall to the outside; thirdly, it closes the space above the hinged. rack when the same is lowered by an ornamental panel, which can be moved up and down without interfering with the string frame of the piano located immediately back of the same, and, fourthly, the hinged. rack is supported in its inclined and lowered posh iiou without lm'ming eontaet with the lid, so as not to scratch or otherwise injure the edge of the same.

.ll'a-ving thus described. my inven tion,l claim as new and d esi re to seen re l plotters Paton t- 1. The combination, with the front wall of an upright-piano case having an. opm'iing, of a sliding panel guided at the upper rear part of the front wall and of a main panel or raek litting into said opening and. hinged to said sliding panel, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the front wall of an upright-piano case, said frontwall having an oblong opening, of a sliding panel guided in ways at the upper rear part of the front wall, a rack hinged to said sliding panel and fitting into said opening, and an extensible hinged strap-connection between the front wall and the hinged rack, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the front wall of an. ulnfightpiano case, said front wall having an opening, of a sliding panel guided in. ways ai the upper rear part of the front wall, stops at the lower end of said guideways t'or arresting said sliding panel, and a rack fitting iniothe opening of the [front wall and hinged to the lower part of the sliding panel, subslaol ially as set forth.

l. The ccnnbination,with the front wall of an npright-piam1 case, said front wall having an opening, of a sliding panel guided in ways at the upper rear partof said front walhstops at the lower ends of said guidoways, springs at the upper ends of said. guideways, a raek hinged by curved ln'aekets to the lower part of the sliding panel, a locking devieeeonneeb ing the lower end of the rack; with the lower edge of the (n ening, and a spring attached lo the front wall and :ulapted to press the rack forward when the locking dcviee is released, substantially as set forth.

The combination,with the front all of an upright-piano case, said front wall having a central opening, of guhlcways at the upper rear part of said. front wall, a sliding panel guided in said ways, a rack hinged to the lower part of said sliding panel. and made somewhat less in. height than the opening in the front wall,and a locking device at the lower part of the rack and o n ningof the front wall, said locking device being locked or unlocked by lifting the rack. in the opening of the front wall, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that] claim the foregoing as my invention .l have signed. my name in presence of two subscribing witlmsses.

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